The wife of former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield was sentenced on Monday to six months of probation and 25 hours of community service for embezzling funds from her husband’s political action committee.
Stephanie Chatfield, 38, of Levering, Mich., pleaded guilty last month to one felony count of embezzlement from a nonprofit in connection to her husband’s alleged scheme to divert public and private funds for personal use while service in the Michigan House of Representatives.
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In addition to probation and community service, Stephanie Chatfield is required to pay a $2,000 fine. A second charge for conspiracy to commit embezzlement from a nonprofit was dismissed as part of a plea deal.
Lee Chatfield faces 13 felony charges for his role in the embezzlement scheme, which allegedly involved paying off more than $130,000 in personal debt in April 2024, using funds from the nonprofit Peninsula Fund, his own PACs, and the state budget of the Michigan House of Representatives.
He pleaded not guilty and was bound over for trial in May.
The investigation into Lee began in 2022 when his sister-in-law accused him of sexual assault. He denied the allegations and said the relationship was consensual. A criminal complaint was filed with the Lansing Police Department and the investigation was turned over to Michigan State Police — eventually expanding beyond the abuse allegations into financial crimes.
Rob and Anne Minard, who were top aides to Lee when he ran the House, were charged with 21 felonies in 2023 after reportedly embezzling $525,000 from nonprofit funds. The two were sentenced in December 2025 and are expected to testify against the former speaker.
“Proximity to influence does not grant immunity from accountability, and no one can use their nexus to power to unlawfully enrich themselves,” said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel in a statement issued Tuesday. “Mrs. Chatfield was a willing participant on the Peninsula Fund gravy train, enjoying a lifestyle funded by money meant to support public welfare. My office remains committed to pursuing and prosecuting those who treat these types of accounts as personal piggy banks.”